


Winter Rain

by syntaxanalyzer



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Coffee Shops, Feels, Heartbreak, M/M, Past Relationship(s), Post-Break Up, Second Chances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:14:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28389126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/syntaxanalyzer/pseuds/syntaxanalyzer
Summary: Someone once said that when it’s time for two souls to meet, the whole universe conspires to get them together. But their time has already passed. Perhaps, they had to meet once again only to remember why they went their own ways, for the universe isn’t kind enough to give second chances.
Relationships: Kim Junmyeon | Suho/Park Chanyeol
Comments: 10
Kudos: 30
Collections: Starry Suho Fest (R1)





	Winter Rain

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt #S92  
> Dear Prompter, I absolutely loved this prompt of yours that I snatched it at the first chance. I hope I did justice to your prompt.  
> Dear Mods, You have been an absolute delight to work with. Thanks for replying to my never ending list of doubts.

He always likes it when it rains. The gloomy but cozy ambience brings a sort of peace to a turbulent mind. The monotonous beat of rain droplets hitting his window, the only sound in his otherwise quiet room. The earthy smell associated with the rain grounds him to this world. It is reassuring in ways one does not expect. He seeks comfort by burrowing further into his blankets. Tonight is exceptionally cold, a sign that winter has finally arrived.

There is something about rain that soothes a sad heart. Maybe it’s the comfort one gets thinking that Nature is out there crying for them or crying with them. The melancholy of his surroundings reflects his inner state. Today was an exceptionally hard day. A few things happened that had rekindled the memories he had buried deep within his heart. Memories, he had tried hard to not let resurface. Two whole years have passed, two lonely winters, but it still hurts whenever he allows himself to think about those moments. He has tried to move on but he couldn’t. He has never been the one to let go easily.

Junmyeon has always been like that. The virtue he treasures the most has been consistency. Change is something he loathes. It may make him look boring. No experiments, no adventures, but he feels most comfortable when he has a plan ready with him. To him, it is always routine. 

He still doesn’t understand how people constantly change. Hairstyle, dressing sense, career paths, personality, people seem to change effortlessly. Are they all really comfortable with that kind of change? He will never know. He can never do that. He has always been the same. Deep inside, he fears change. He doesn’t even try something new in a café. Always the same hazelnut latte. It is not that he doesn’t want to try something new but it is the fear of letting go of the old. What if the new one is not better? What if he likes it so much that he ends up forgetting the old? What if this is his last chance and he tries something new, he might never get to try the old one again? ‘It is safer this way’, he repeats to himself. A known devil is always better than an unknown angel.

Tonight as he lies wide awake in his bed, staring at the water droplets sliding down his window, he wonders if he should have tried harder to move on. His friends have told him, countless times, how he needs to live his life in the present, not to dwell in the past. There is no point being stuck in the past. He agrees. He himself feels like his life is frozen in time. But he doesn’t know how to make time flow again for him. He is not even sure if that is what he wants. If he is being honest with himself, he wants to go back in time. Make it right, make it work.

His mind drifts off to those attempts he had made to move on and how counterproductive they turned out. He had gone on a few dates. But he just couldn’t see someone else in the place that had been ‘his’.

He had found himself constantly comparing everyone he met with ‘him’. Yixing was really sweet and was shyly talking about his interests but all Junmyeon could focus on was his dimples. Instead of Yixing’s, Junmyeon saw someone else’s dimples in his mind’s eye. Kris seemed a little aloof but was actually really caring. But, no. Whenever he had spoken, Junmyeon was reminded of another deep husky voice that had whispered sweet nothings into his ears late into the night. Baekhyun was a delight. But the mischief in his eyes reminded him of another pair of eyes, full of mischief and trouble. Sehun’s height led to another painful walk down the memory lane. With that, he had stopped trying. They said time heals all wounds so he had just left it in Time’s hands.

He is lost in his own past and not sure when sleep finds him.

⭐🌙⭐

The next morning, he wakes up only to turn off his alarm and snuggle back into the covers. It’s the perfect weather to stay cooped up in his blanket. He doesn’t want to leave his bed. He will probably call in sick, he is in no mood for meetings and files. He pities himself to be very honest. But somehow the onslaught of memories had ceased while he was deep asleep. Now, he just feels the usual, a little empty but manageable. With that motivation, he thinks to go reward himself with something sweet.

If waking up was a Herculean task then getting ready to go out was a task only achievable by Zeus. After much debate with his Laziness, he finally drags himself to get ready. He sighs when the steaming hot water hits his bare body. He stays a little longer in the shower like it could wash away every other feeling, leaving only warmth behind. He feels relaxed after the hot shower. He finds himself warm clothes and wears his favorite sweater. He grabs his keys and coat as he leaves.

It’s not raining anymore. The dew drops on the bushes are already turning into frost. The chillness makes him shiver. He hugs himself closer as he makes his way to the café that has become his escape for the past two years. Every fiber of his body craves coffee, the elixir of his life. He reaches the café only to be disappointed, the small board hanging on the entrance says ‘closed’. That’s odd, Minseok always made it a point to open the café every day. He needs to call and check on Minseok later.

He doesn’t want to go back home unrewarded. He had braved leaving the comfort of his bed and walked all the way here in this cold weather, he is not going to let his efforts go waste. He opens google maps to see if there is any other café nearby. He knows one that is down the road, but he is not brave enough to go there. Not yet. So he asks google for other options.

No, there is none that will be open at this time. He curses his bad luck before pocketing his phone. There is a small voice in his head nudging him to go to that café and he tries his best to ignore that voice. He had decided never to go to that café ever again. Minseok’s place has been his escape, his hiding place as he is not brave enough to go back to that café that gave him so much only to take away so much more. This is why he fears change. He is never comfortable even if he somehow did manage to accept change. It is always there, on one corner of his heart, hidden, ready to poke him when he feels a little down.

He has a little debate with himself in the middle of the street. Maybe, it’s a sign from the universe. Maybe, it is indeed time to move on. Maybe, he can face his past without drowning in it. It’s worth a try. He convinces himself with all the inspirational and motivational quotes he has read on Tumblr and walks towards that damned café. Jongdae will be proud of him.

⭐🌙⭐

It looks the same. From the outside it looks exactly the same as it used to be. The caramel coloured wall, the fairy lights hung for decoration, the small potted plants. The familiarity hits him with an unspeakable nostalgia. He is not sure if he feels happy or sad about it. This place has stood witness to a lot of things. Their first meeting as well as their last meeting was in this very café. He steadies himself and pushes the door open. The inside has not changed much either, except for the small rack of books in the corner. Nice touch. He always wanted Kyungsoo to keep a few books there. Junmyeon loves reading. Reading was what helped him get over his heartbreak. It was words of unknown people that had comforted him. He had cried over another person’s story and in that he temporarily forgot his own pain. It still hurts but is manageable now, thanks to those books that kept him company during those lonely nights.

Kyungsoo is there right behind the counter. He has changed, at least in appearance. He is wearing thick rimmed glasses, his hair is cut short. Junmyeon has surely missed a lot. In his attempt to forget one person, he has ignored everyone even remotely associated with him, even his own friends. Junmyeon walks up to him with a smile on his face.

“Hi”, he says a little timidly. Kyungsoo, on the other hand, leaves the counter to envelope him in a hug. “How have you been?”, Kyungsoo asks. The genuine joy on his face makes Junmyeon smile too. “Great”, Junmyeon lies unabashedly, it has become a habit now.

“Why did you stop coming by? I mean is everything okay? I asked Chanyeol innumerable times about you. But that idiot never gave me a proper answer.” That name. The name he sometimes calls for, late at night, the name his heart has chanted like a precious little secret, the name he never managed to say out loud these past two years. Hearing it makes his heart ache with renewed pain. He wonders if coming here was a mistake. He, clearly, is not yet ready. He thought he was checking on a wound to see if it was healed but somehow he has ripped open a half healed wound.

“I didn’t come because I was also an idiot.”, he replies with a fake smile. That’s when someone clears their throat from behind. He has been holding up the queue. He asks Kyungsoo to go continue his work. “I’ll wait till you are free. Go now.”

He visits again a few times. He catches up with Kyungsoo. Mostly, he just sits in a corner, reading some book, sipping on his coffee. He tries his best to not ask Kyungsoo about Chanyeol. He knows they were friends back then but he is not sure if he still drops by. Besides, there is no use in knowing his whereabouts, no point in feeding the hope he has shunned away for so long. “He used to come regularly. A year ago, he left the city. After that we haven’t spoken”, Kyungsoo tells him one day. Junmyeon just nods.

⭐🌙⭐

This evening, he sits in the café, in his once regular spot, staring out through the window. It’s snowing outside. He is watching the snowflakes as they descend with a dance, sipping on his coffee. He is about to go back to reading his book when he sees someone enter the café.

The whole world goes quiet as time stands still. He sees Chanyeol enter the café. He looks the same, wearing an oversized sweater and a bright smile on his handsome face. Junmyeon can hear his heart thrumming against his ribs. Tears are already pooling at the back of his eyes. How embarrassing. He wants to leave the place before someone spots him in this state.

He gets up in a hurry and picks up his coat, without noticing the book in his lap. Luck never favored him before. It fails him again now. The book slips and thuds against the floor announcing his presence to everyone in that otherwise quiet café. He finds Chanyeol looking at him with a shocked expression. That’s it. Junmyeon’s eyes are now clouding with tears. He picks the book and leaves the place in haste. He pushes past Chanyeol who is just gaping at him. As he pushes the door open, he sees Chanyeol’s hands intertwined with someone’s hands. He doesn’t stop to look at the other person, walking as fast as possible towards his apartment.

Only after knowing he is safely inside his own home and has locked the door, he lets the tears flow. His lonely apartment is the only witness as he cries his heart out.

⭐🌙⭐

The next day he feels better. The crying has helped somehow. He has been pushing things down and down whenever they try to resurface. So letting them out, acknowledging it, even if just to himself, helped. He gets up and gets ready for work.

Another day of mundane but exhausting work. He is tired by the time he reaches home. He debates if he should just go to sleep and skip dinner. That’s when he sees the book that is lying on his table. Back then, he had panicked and took the book home with him. He has to return it. He decides that he might as well be done with it. So, he once again goes to the café.

What he does not expect is to see Chanyeol again. He is sitting in the spot they usually used to sit. He doesn’t want to let his mind trick him into believing that maybe Chanyeol has not completely forgotten about him, about them. Chanyeol is alone this time. Chanyeol is checking his phone before he catches Junmyeon looking at him. He waves at him signaling him to come over. Junmyeon readies himself, inhales deeply before making his way towards him.

⭐🌙⭐

This is all very awkward. It’s ironic how two people who once shared every small detail of their day with one another, all of sudden don’t know how to even start a conversation. There is this strange feeling. Junmyeon can neither bring himself to see Chanyeol as a stranger and start talking with introductions, nor can he pick off from where they left. Maybe this is why people never want to run into their exes. They are sitting opposite to each other. Their drinks are going cold. There seems to be some sort of battle between them, of who speaks first, of who gives in first.

“How are you doing?”, Chanyeol finally speaks. Junmyeon chuckles at that. Was it not quite obvious with how he behaved yesterday? Maybe Chanyeol being oblivious is a good thing. That makes him feel a little better. Maybe Chanyeol didn’t see him cry. Maybe he was too busy holding hands with his new… lover? “I’m fine”, Junmyeon lies. “How about you? I heard you moved out of the city?”, Junmyeon asks before he winces, realizing his mistake. Did he sound like he was stalking Chanyeol?

“Not really, it was for a project. Now, I’m back for good”, Chanyeol explains. They somehow manage to have a conversation for the next half an hour. It is mostly Chanyeol enquiring about him and Junmyeon replying in a word or two. Chanyeol shares a few details of how he is doing. Junmyeon zones out on what he is saying and instead observes Chanyeol’s changed behavior. Chanyeol looks the same. But he has changed a lot. Gone, the one who was full of mischief. The clumsiness is missing. This person before him seems more calm, more confident. There is a certain maturity in his eyes which comes with experience but there are still hints of innocence. His smile still does things to Junmyeon but that is what it is. Smiles. Not those carefree laughter that Junmyeon adores.

“You have changed”, Junmyeon blurts out. Maybe the fact that this Chanyeol who is in front of him is not the same as ‘his Chanyeol’ is what helps Junmyeon to not break down again.

Chanyeol chuckles, “Don’t they say that change is the only constant.”

Junmyeon doesn’t answer. He is still busy staring at him. He wants to know what’s going on in Chanyeol’s head. How could he talk so casually and behave like they were just best friends catching up after a long time? Was Junmyeon the fool here? There is a tiny spark of anger peeking its head that Junmyeon suppresses.

“Are you seeing someone?”, Chanyeol asks as he sips on his espresso. His coffee preference has also changed, Junmyeon notes.

“Yes, there is someone I like”, Junmyeon lies once again. He just doesn’t want to admit how pathetic he has been, unable to look at anyone else the way he had looked at Chanyeol. So, he lies.

Chanyeol smiles at that. “I’m happy for you”, he says and sounds happy too.

Oh, now, Junmyeon is definitely angry. Junmyeon questions him back, “How about you?”

“Oh yes. I met him at work. It’s been almost a year since we started dating.”

That is it. The tiny flare of anger is now fueled by jealousy. Junmyeon himself hates the way he feels. But it’s there, anger and jealousy dancing together, threatening to turn into wildfire any moment. “I have an important appointment”, Junmyeon says as he stands up. He pretends to check his watch. “I have to go leave now. Nice meeting you.”

“Oh sure. Have you changed your number? Let’s stay in touch. I could really use a friend.” Friends? After everything they have been through? Junmyeon doesn’t think it’s possible for him to consider Chanyeol as a friend. Instead Junmyeon simply says, “No, I have not changed anything.”

⭐🌙⭐

Next day at work, Junmyeon is busy checking his emails while humming an old song. Jongdae, his colleague as well as best friend, comes over to drag him for a coffee break. He feels Jongdae’s scrutinizing glare on him and turns to return the glare. “What?”, Junmyeon questions.

Jongdae looks at him accusingly, “What’s wrong? Why are you smiling like that?”

“What’s wrong with smiling? Maybe I’m happy”, Junmyeon tries. Jongdae huffs, “Oh I have seen that fake smile of yours enough times to know that something is wrong. Spill.”

So, he says everything.

“Maybe it’s a good thing. This way you can finally move on knowing that he already has. See, the world doesn’t stop because your heart got broken. It keeps going. You should too. This may be the closure you needed”, Jongdae says finally. He knows that Jongdae cares deeply for him and will always want the best for Junmyeon. These are not new words either. Jongdae has said similar words to Junmyeon several times but this is the first time he listens to it with the intention of understanding the meaning. His mind had been clouded by sorrow and heartbreak, but now his ego and instinct of self-preservation help him see through those clouds. He is still mad over how Chanyeol had behaved and Anger is really a powerful motivator.

⭐🌙⭐

The next few weeks move fast with multiple projects’ deadlines. Work being so demanding, he really did not find time for anything else, not even to think about Chanyeol.

Chanyeol also has not called him. He texted Junmyeon once but Junmyeon did not really entertain the conversation. Chanyeol seems to have taken the hint. It’s not possible for Junmyeon to treat him as just a friend. Chanyeol is maybe that evolved but Junmyeon isn’t. He really doesn’t understand the concept of falling out of love too. Maybe your love for a person fades out. But you can never really erase it completely. A part of you, your past, will always belong to them as much as it belongs to you. A small corner of your heart will always love them. It’s just that you can dump other things on top of it till it gets lost in the chaos. That’s exactly what he does.

When he finally finds time to take a break after weeks of hectic work, Junmyeon decides to go watch a musical. He is excited about this one. Jongdae had promised to accompany him but then had called him and told him that he had forgotten about other plans. Junmyeon really doesn’t mind. Nothing wrong with a little ‘me time’. 

He is standing in the queue. That’s when he feels someone tap on his shoulders. He looks over to find Chanyeol towering him. This time Junmyeon offers him a smile. “Hi. I see that you have started going to musicals now”, he says. The anger and resentment had faded off in the past few weeks only leaving hurt and the familiar ache behind, but the magnitude of that too has reduced significantly. He understands that Chanyeol moving on is not something he should feel bad about. He feels bad for how he had behaved back then at the café, for letting his emotions overpower him.

Chanyeol laughs a little nervously. “Yeah. It kind of happened”, he says as he rubs his nape.

“Are you alone?”, Chanyeol asks hesitantly. This is new. Junmyeon actually feels bad. Did he somehow make Chanyeol feel the need to be overly conscious around him?

Junmyeon nods, “You can join me if you want to.”

“I would love to”, Chanyeol beams. There it is the familiar grin that makes Chanyeol look adorable. However, it only lasts for a second.

After the show, they decide to have dinner together. Junmyeon is surprised and very proud of himself for being so casual around Chanyeol. On their way back home, Chanyeol insists that he will walk him till his apartment. The gesture reminds Junmyeon of their initial dates. But neither of them comment on it.

They walk side by side while maintaining safe distance from each other. They are both huddled up in sweaters and thick coats to keep them warm. Junmyeon can’t help thinking about those countless times they had walked similarly but pressed close and hand in hand.

They talk about random things. The musical, weather, politics. When Junmyeon asks Chanyeol about his boyfriend, his reply is curt. Chanyeol looks a little uncomfortable and Junmyeon is not keen to know more. Chanyeol’s love life is the last thing he wants to know about. But he notes that Chanyeol had looked a little sad for a second before he masked it.

Once they are near the apartment Junmyeon takes leave from Chanyeol, “It was nice to watch the musical with someone you know.” No, he is not going to say friend. They can never be friends, not after everything. Junmyeon cannot.

“Yeah. I liked it too. I’ll get going then”, he says as he turns around to leave. Junmyeon fights the urge to call him. There is a familiar pang in his heart as he watches the receding figure. But it’s easier to ignore it now.

⭐🌙⭐

A week passes. Chanyeol has not texted him, so Junmyeon is a little surprised when he sees a missed call from Chanyeol. He calls him back immediately. Chanyeol finally picks up after a few rings. Chanyeol’s voice is hoarse, all he says is Junmyeon’s name but it comes out more like a sob. It breaks Junmyeon’s heart to hear Chanyeol sound so vulnerable. “Chanyeol, what happened? Is everything okay?”, he asks full of concern.

“We broke up”, Chanyeol hesitates before saying. It appears like he has been crying for quite some time. Junmyeon is not sure how to respond to it. He was never good at consoling people, especially over the phone. “Can I come over?”, Chanyeol is the one who breaks the prolonged silence. Junmyeon is in no position to deny. “Of course”, he assures.

⭐🌙⭐

He thought life couldn’t get bad and here he is. His ex-boyfriend is now crying on his shoulders. Chanyeol seems so small and so dejected that Junmyeon finds it impossible to think logically. So he is gently massaging his scalp as Chanyeol rests his face on the crook of Junmyeon’s neck. He holds him tight as Chanyeol’s tears slow down to silent sobs. Holding him in his arms again, this close, is a sensory overload for Junmyeon. He had thought meeting Chanyeol again, facing him would help him get over the feelings he had for him and also had thought that he was succeeding in getting over Chanyeol. But, no. He only wants Chanyeol back. There is a tiny voice in his head asking him if Chanyeol had cried similarly after their break up.

Junmyeon really doesn’t know what to say to make Chanyeol feel better. He has already tried the few lines that Jongdae had told him after their break up. Also it hurts him to watch Chanyeol cry over someone else while his own heart still weeps for Chanyeol. He can’t really advise Chanyeol on breakups like a third person as his only major break up ever involved Chanyeol himself. So, he doesn’t say much. He just offers comfort, as much as he can, by hugging him tight. Maybe that is all Chanyeol wants too. They sit there in silence. Junmyeon somehow makes Chanyeol have dinner at his place before Chanyeol leaves.

⭐🌙⭐

He gets a call from Chanyeol a few days later asking if they could hang out. Junmyeon knows that he is being unreasonable but he agrees nevertheless.

They are now at Chanyeol’s apartment watching some new movie on Chanyeol’s insistence. The weather is getting colder day by day. So they are huddled close to each other on his couch while they sip on hot chocolate. Chanyeol looks absorbed in the movie while Junmyeon tries his best not to get caught watching Chanyeol. His mind keeps going back to the past. Since the day he met Chanyeol again, all those memories he thought he had forgotten have come back. He has come to realise that the feelings have never gone away. Sitting so close to Chanyeol, watching his big eyes go wider and rounder than usual at some scenes, he wants it back. He wants this back. He wants to turn back time, pick it up from where they left off. He wants to lean into Chanyeol. He wants to once again call Chanyeol his. He can no longer suppress these treacherous thoughts.

“Why did he break up with you?”, Junmyeon finally asks. Chanyeol turns to look at him.

He seems unsure about replying. Junmyeon is about to change the topic when he hears Chanyeol say, “He didn’t. I did.”

“Oh.” There is a long pause. “I thought he broke your heart… the way you cried.. you know?”, Junmyeon doesn’t know what he is trying to achieve by continuing this conversation.

“No, I broke his heart. I didn’t mean to but I did…. I broke up with him. I felt guilty, Junmyeon. He looked so broken…. I felt guilty.” Chanyeol looks like he doesn’t want to elaborate. Junmyeon understands.

Junmyeon knows guilt. He knows regret better than anyone else. He also has cried because of those very emotions. He remembers the things he said that day two years ago. He knows he shouldn’t have said those things. He never meant those words. They just turned out that way. It wasn’t intentional. All for what? Some petty grudge of his. But he knows words said cannot be taken back. The look of hurt and betrayal on Chanyeol’s face that night. That image has been burned into his mind. He will never forget it.

That night, his anger prevented him from thinking straight. He had walked out of their shared apartment after spilling those words coated with venom. When he went back, he wanted to apologise. But, Chanyeol was hurt. His pride was hurt. He didn’t listen and had returned Junmyeon’s hurtful words with equally hurting silence. He had refused to listen to Junmyeon’s late apologies.

Well looking back, they both were at fault. But Junmyeon was more at fault. Junmyeon deserved that silent treatment he had gotten from Chanyeol. But, what he had not expected was that small incident to cause a rift between them. From then on, Chanyeol was cautious of what he shared with Junmyeon. Junmyeon became conscious of the way he spoke to Chanyeol. Things got awkward. Junmyeon had really wanted to make it go back to normal but he didn’t know how. The break up was inevitable. He shakes his head in an attempt to come back to the present, the painful reality.

After the movie ends, Junmyeon gets ready to leave. Before he walks out he turns around and says, “Sorry.” An apology long overdue.

There is confusion written over Chanyeol’s face, “What for?”

“Sorry for all that I said two years ago. On your Mom’s birthday. I didn’t mean any of those Chanyeol. I really didn’t”, Junmyeon tries.

“I know. I had plenty of time to think of it from your perspective. I understand. You are forgiven”, Chanyeol smiles at him. Junmyeon really feels like a huge burden has been lifted off his chest. Even if they don’t meet ever again, Junmyeon thinks he will feel content just knowing that he has been pardoned. 

Tonight, he sleeps peacefully. Next day at work, his smiles are more than genuine.

⭐🌙⭐

Over the next couple of days they text each other a few times. Just checking in. Today, they decide to go out to eat. This time Junmyeon speaks more about himself. Junmyeon also cracks a few lame jokes. Chanyeol rolls his eyes at that but still there is a smile hidden behind his lips. It is no more awkward, the familiar warmth slowly returning. Junmyeon is slightly afraid of getting more than a little used to this but he can’t stop himself.

Tonight, as he is sitting bundled up in a huge blanket with a book in his hand, while it rains outside, he feels warm. There is anticipation and hope brimming in his heart. He feels like a little kid who gets happy at the prospect of a holiday due to heavy rain. This time as the rain pours, there is a rush of happiness and joy in his veins.

⭐🌙⭐

These days, they keep meeting each other, sometimes they hang out at the café, sometimes they spend time in Junmyeon’s apartment, they talk a lot, Junmyeon smiles more often and that cheerful laughter of Chanyeol has returned. It feels like old times but brighter. It’s no more nostalgic when he spends time with Chanyeol. There is this excitement and nervousness, also companionship. It’s like falling in love all over again. But Junmyeon never fell out. So he feels like he has cracked open a new layer and is falling deeper into the unknown. He is sure that if it goes wrong this time, there is no going back and no moving on. Nevertheless he decides to enjoy it as much as he can.

They are in Junmyeon’s apartment. They had met at the restaurant and walked all the way to his apartment. Chanyeol was about to leave when it had started to rain. Junmyeon insisted that Chanyeol crash at his place. So, here they are.

Junmyeon offers him his own clothes that are a little loose on him but they are too tight on Chanyeol. After much debate, Junmyeon sighs as he goes into his room to get something else for Chanyeol to wear. He knows he still has them, Chanyeol’s old clothes. He just did not want to look like a creep so he had given him his own clothes. There, hidden in the last rack is Chanyeol’s stuff that he had left behind. Junmyeon reminisces for a second. He hears a soft gasp behind him. Chanyeol is looking at his own clothes and Chanyeol’s eyes are clouded with an emotion Junmyeon cannot decipher.

“I just ….”, Junmyeon begins but Chanyeol speaks at the same time. “You didn’t throw them.” They don’t say anything more.

Once Chanyeol gets changed, they are sitting on the couch. Junmyeon leans into Chanyeol to steal some warmth. The rain is pouring at an increased pace. Chanyeol seems to be avoiding eye contact with Junmyeon.

“So….”, Junmyeon tries to make a conversation. Chanyeol’s big cute eyes that are exploring the room finally turn to look at him. “Do you want to maybe watch a movie or something?”, Junmyeon asks.

“No, I don’t feel like it. Let’s just talk”, Chanyeol says. Chanyeol clears his throat before asking, “What about your boyfriend? You never spoke about them again?”

Oh, Junmyeon almost forgot about that lie. He giggles at that, “I don’t know. He is pretty cool you know.”

Chanyeol is silent at that. His expression is pained. Junmyeon has no idea why he is doing this but he wants to tease Chanyeol so he continues, “You know blue eyes, black hair, this tall.”

“Cool. What does he do?”, Chanyeol asks as he fiddles with his shirt. Is he annoyed? Is he jealous? Junmyeon really wants him to be jealous.

“Oh, he was busy fighting demons the last time I checked.” Chanyeol looks bewildered at that. “What?” 

Junmyeon decides to ease his misery, “He is fictional, Chanyeol. The lead in the book I’m reading. And I like him a lot.” Junmyeon is outright laughing while clutching his stomach. The expression on Chanyeol’s face as realisation hits him is so adorable. So adorable that Junmyeon doesn’t hesitate before squishing his cheeks till his mouth forms a pout on its own. Junmyeon drops his hands immediately.

“I see. But why exactly did you lie to me?”, Chanyeol asks with that usual mischief in his eyes.

Junmyeon regrets teasing Chanyeol. He can feel his own face heating up. “I was maybe a little jealous”, he finally admits after a long gap. “Why?” Chanyeol is now so close to Junmyeon that he can feel his breath tingling his skin. Junmyeon attempts to get up but is pulled back rather forcefully against Chanyeol.

“Why?”, Chanyeol repeats. Junmyeon finally looks into Chanyeol’s eyes. His own eyes are starting to tear up. He can’t hide it anymore. He doesn’t want to hide it anymore and suffer in silence. “Because I was jealous. I couldn’t forget you Chanyeol. I tried. But somehow everything kept reminding me of you……” Junmyeon takes a deep breath before finally saying, “I still love you. I never stopped.”

Junmyeon can feel tear drops roll down his cheeks. He tries to turn his face away when Chanyeol crashes his lips onto his. It takes him a second to comprehend what’s happening and once he does, Junmyeon responds eagerly. He pours in all those emotions he could never say in words into that kiss. It’s a passionate kiss that screams ‘I have missed you’, that seeks assurance, ‘Promise me you will stay this time’, that cries, ‘Make up for the lost time’. The kiss is full of demands. He kisses like it will turn back time.

Chanyeol is the one who withdraws, panting. He thumbs Junmyeon’s lips as he whispers ‘I love you too. I couldn’t forget you either. ’

Chanyeol leans in again to kiss Junmyeon but this one is soft. More like a reassurance. It’s a sweet kiss that seems to whisper, ‘I love you’, that murmurs, ‘This time we will have all the time in the world’. Junmyeon smiles against Chanyeol’s lips.

Later that night, they are cuddling in Junmyeon’s bed cocooned in thick blankets. He has missed this, being wrapped over Chanyeol. He feels like he has at last returned home after a tedious voyage. 

The sound of rain outside now gives a new hope to Junmyeon. Water washing away the old stains and bitterness symbolising a new beginning. Another shot, a second chance. He intends to use it well. With that resolution, he pecks Chanyeol’s forehead before snuggling closer. Chanyeol’s eyes are closed but there is a smile stretching across his face.

⭐🌙⭐

**Author's Note:**

> Dear Readers, Thanks for reading this fic. I hope you liked it. If possible, please let me know what you think of the fic. I will treasure your feedback.  
> Dear Bunnies, Thanks for all the encouragement and support. Special thanks to M, if you are reading this, I repeat I would not survive without you.


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